The second rally against oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in six months kicked off Sept. 20 in downtown Fairbanks with a crowd of "close to 100 people," said Bernadette Horace, an event organizer and proud supporter. The rally, held at Veteran's Memorial Park, coincided with protests in Wasington, D.C. against pending legislation that would allow drilling in ANWR.

The Fairbanks demonstration was light-spirited, with speakers as diverse as the members of the public in attendance. Signs were scattered throughout the crowd that read "CONSUME LESS PETROLEUM PRODUCTS", "ARCTIC REFUGE, KEEP IT WILD", and "OIL WILL BE OUR DEMISE." From UAF students and professors, to retired wildlife biologists, each person had their own reasons for showing their support.

Emily Sousa, a geography-environmental studies student at UAF, believes there are a lot of misconceptions about Alaskan's beliefs, mainly due to our politicians. She said she also feels strongly that the politicians really "don't listen to our indigenous people."

Rodney Guritz, a fellow student studying chemistry, spent some time on the North Slope in August while studying for a lake research project. While there he saw "dust, litter and oily residue in streams," he said. "Companies don't keep their promises, I just hope it doesn't happen at ANWR."

"Caribou may be at risk," said Frank Maxwell, a member of the Northern Alaska Environmental Center. "Their vegetation coincides with the proposed area," possibly resulting in "damaging the whole population."

Roger Kaye who works at the refuge as a wilderness specialist and pilot, said the area is a "last, vast, wildness, and we can't have wildness in an oil field."

Fran Mauer, a retired wildlife biologist who has worked in ANWR for 21 years studying the natural mortality rates of caribou calves, as well as all sorts of animals, takes it a step further: "The reason ANWR was established in the first place was as an undisturbed control to test the changing conditions in other areas. Such a special, it really doesn't belong to any of us, it's ageless, and priceless. It belongs to the ages, we only have it for a short time, we must take care of it."

"All we're really doing, is stealing from tomorrow," said Daniel Swift, a professor at the Geophysical Institute, while holding a sign saying "$Greed$, Not Need, Drives You."

Photo by Nina Schwinghammer
Laura Welch, a former UAF student, makers her position known on Sept. 20 at the ANWR rally.

Photo by Nina Schwinghammer
A young ANWR activist waves his sign on Tuesday.

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